Internally Belted Coveralls

ABSTRACT

A unitary coverall garment with integral jacket and trouser section incorporates a separate belt held by interior belt loops or a belt tube within the garment. The belt has a fastening buckle and adjustable strap that is fed through the interior belt loops or a tube. A closing means is provided to close the garment to cover the interior belt. Adjusting the belt to pull the garment inward toward the wearer and closing the garment to cover the belt will minimize the risks associated with snagging the belt or garment on moving equipment. The coverall garment is worn by opening the jacket section, stepping into the trouser section, positioning the jacket section on the wearer&#39;s upper body, fastening the internal belt around the wearer&#39;s waist, tightening the adjustment strap, and closing the jacket section opening over the belt.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 61/795,085 filed Oct. 10, 2012 entitled “Belted Coveralls”, theentire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to a unitary coverall garment with aconcealed belt fed through belt loops or a belt tube inside the waistportion of the coverall and, more particularly, to a coverall whichprotects the wearer from catching loose clothing or belts in hazardouswork conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Coveralls have been a part of the history of the United States for aslong as there has been hard work to do. A unitary garment, i.e.coverall, is needed to protect an individual and his regular clothingfrom the dirt, grime, and in some instances, the hazardous chemicals orconditions to which a worker could be exposed.

Coveralls are used in a variety of settings including industrial plantsas well as oil field operations; environments where large reciprocatingdevices such as pumps or drills are present. In these types ofenvironments, where machinery is roving and projecting conditions ripefor snagging belts or loose material, it is necessary that thesecoveralls be made of material that will continue to protect the wearerfrom hazards while not projecting a surface or loose piece of clothingthat could become entangled in the machinery and potentially cause harm.For example, a belt buckle made of any material has the potential tobecome entangled on a pump which could result in serious personal injuryto the wearer.

Without a belt, the garment would simply not stay up. Where suspendersare employed, the pulling force upward gathers the garment uncomfortablyin the crotch area. An elastic cord whose ends are tied securelytogether on the outside at the front of the garment could become undoneor entangle in operating machinery. An elastic band fixed inside thewaist of a coverall will wear out over time requiring replacement of theentire coverall, thus incurring additional costs.

Thus it can he appreciated that there is an ongoing need in the industryfor a proper way to secure a pair of coveralls along the waist of awearer while not exposing the wearer to safety concerns.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved coverall which secures thecoveralls along the waist of a wearer while not becoming a safety hazardwhen worn around machinery, pumps, or other means which could catch on acoverall surface. The improved coverall allows for pulling the loosematerial of the coverall in around the waist of the wearer to reduce therisk of catching upon safety hazards.

The coverall garment includes an internally disposed adjustable beltwhich is fed through belt loops or a belt tube inside the waist of thecoverall. The belted coverall allows for the belt to be fastened aroundand adjusted fitting about a wearer's waist. Once fastened, the outsideof the coveralls can be closed over the internal belt by use of a zipperor other fastening means which will conceal the internal belt fromcatching on safety hazards.

To use the internally belted coveralls, a wearer will first put theirlegs into the leg portion of the coveralls, pull the opening of thecoveralls up and onto their shoulders, then place their arms within thearm portions of the coveralls. The wearer may then fasten the internalbelt about their waste and adjust it to fit through use of theadjustable strap. After the internal belt has been fastened and adjustedto fit the wearer, a zipper or other fastening means arranged along thecoverall opening may then be fastened to close the opening and concealthe internal belt from catch in on hazardous work conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of the internal belt of the internally beltedcoverall garment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the internal waistband section of theinternally belted coverall garment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cut away illustration of the internal waistband section ofthe internally belted coverall garment of the present inventiondepicting the belt as fed through a belt tube at the waistband section.

FIG. 4 is a larger illustration of the waistband section of theinternally belted coverall garment of the present invention depictingthe belt fed through the internal belts loops at the waistband sectionof the coverall garment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an internal belt 14 for usewith an internally belted coverall garment 10 of applicant's invention.Specifically, the belt 14 is comprised of a strap 20 and a buckle 12.Strap 20 is best envisioned as a flat webbing strap composed of flatnylon, heavyweight polypropylene, lightweight polypropylene, polyester,cotton, or the like. Buckle 12 is best envisioned to be a side releasingbuckle having a female end portion 32 configured to be releaseablycoupled or connected with a corresponding buckle male end portion 34.The buckle female end portion 32 is attached to one end to the strap 20.The buckle male end portion 34 has a slotted belt feed attachment 38 foradjustably coupling the buckle male end portion 34 with the end of thestrap 20 opposite the buckle female end portion 32. While Buckle 12 isshown as a side releasing buckle the buckle 12 may be any suitablebuckle mechanism such as a traditional frame-and-prong or clasp beltbuckle.

The effective length of the belt 14 may be adjusted to fit a wearer'swaist by means of the slotted belt feed attachment 38 of the buckle maleend portion 34. The effective length of the belt 14 may be shortened bypulling strap 20 through feed attachment 38 to re-position the male end34 of the buckle 12 to a desired position on the strap 20. Similarly,the effective length of the belt 14 may be lengthened by pushing strap20 through feed attachment 38 to re-position the male end 34 of thebuckle 12 to a desired position on the strap 20.

Garment 10 is provided with a waistband section 26 an embodiment ofwhich is shown in FIG. 2. The waist band section 26 as shown iscomprised of internal belt loops 18 and a back inner belt loop 16. Whilethe waist band section 26 is shown having a back inner belt loop 16 andinternal belt loops 18, any number of belt loops 18 and 16 may beprovided along the interior of the waistband section 26 as may berequired to secure and support the garment 10 around a wearer. Belt 14,otherwise separate from the garment 10, is fed through internal beltloops 18 and inner back belt loop 16 to secure the waistband section 26of the garment 10 around the waist of a wearer when the ends 32 and 34of buckle 12 are fastened together. The fit of belt 14 and waistbandsection 26 may be adjusted by pulling or pushing strap 20 though thefeed attachment 38 of buckle 12. Shorting the effective length of thebelt 14 by pulling strap 20 though the feed attachment 38 of buckle 12will pull the outside of coverall 24 inward to fit around the waist of awearer.

FIG. 3 shows an alternate embodiment of the waistband section 26 ofgarment 10. In this embodiment the waistband section 26 is comprised ofa single belt tube 22 which runs inside garment 10 along the waistbandsection 26. Tube openings 23 at the ends of the belt tube 22 allow belt14 to be fed into and out of belt tube 22.

FIG. 4 shows a detail the internally belted coverall garment 10 at thewaistband section 26. The garment 10 will typically be a loose fitting,one piece, coverall garment with a jacket section having arm sleeves andan integrally formed trouser section 24 having trouser leg sections. Thefrom of the jacket section is provided with opposing closing flaps 30that run from the crotch of coverall trouser section 24 on each side ofthe garment jacket section up to the neck of the garment jacket section.

The closing flaps 30 of the garment 10 create an opening 36 in the frontof coverall garment 10 to provide access to a wearer for dressing. Aclosing means 31, such as zippers, buttons, ties, clasps, buckles, orother suitable closing device, is provided so that the closings flaps 30may be secure together at the front of the garment to close the opening36. It is thought that the closing means 31 will be covered by the flaps31 when the flaps are secured together.

For the sake of clarity, FIG. 4 depicts the garment 10 with the jacketsection eliminated and with the coverall flaps 30 shown in an openposition. Only the portion of the flaps 30 that extend to the crotch ofcoverall trouser section 24 are depicted. It will he understood that thecoverall flaps 30 and closing means 31 will extend upward along oppositesides of the jacket section of the garment 10.

For use the coverall garment 10 may be slipped upon a wearer throughopening 36 in the front of coverall 24 so that a wearer's arms and legsma be placed into the appropriate arm sleeves and leg sections ofcoverall garment 10. Belt 14 may then be fastened around a wearer'swaist by placing the male end 34 of buckle 12 into the female end 32 ofbuckle 12. By fastening buckle 12 and pulling strap 20 through feedattachment 38, belt 14 passing through belt loops 16 and 18 willre-position the male end 34 of the buckle 12 on the strap 20 and therebypull the outside of coverall 24 inward to fit around the waist of awearer. This will move excess garment fabric inward to avoid the risk ofcatching the garment fabric on safety hazards.

After the garment 10 is placed upon a wearer, the flaps 30 may be closedand secured by closing means 31, such as a zipper or other fasteningdevice, so that the belt 14, strap 20, buckle 12, and loops 16 and 18,or belt tube 22 are concealed within garment 10. Concealing the belt 14,strap 20, and buckle 12 within the interior of garment 10 will serve toprevent their exposure to objects in the environment around the wearerand their catching upon a safety hazard.

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment comprising: (a) a unitary coverallhaving an opening extending down its front from the neck opening to thecrotch; (b) at least three inner garment belt loops concealed within thewaist section of said unitary converall; (d) a belt unsecured to saidunitary coverall, said belt fed through said inner garment belt loops;(d) a buckle composed of male and female buckle ends attached toopposite ends of said flat webbing belt; (e) a belt feed attachment onsaid male buckle end of said buckle, said; (f) a flat webbing belt strapextending from said flat webbing belt and through said belt feedattachment for adjustment of said flat webbing belt around a user'swaist; and (g) a closing means for closing said opening therebyconcealing said fiat webbing belt, said buckle, and said strap.
 2. Thegarment as recited in claim 1 wherein said flat webbing belt is fedthrough a single inner garment belt tube.
 3. A garment comprising: (a) aunitary coverall having a waistband, a jacket section and a trousersection, said jacket section having a closable opening; (b) at least onebelt loop on the interior of said coverall at said waistband section;(c) a belt strap positioned through said belt loop; (d) a buckleadjustably attached to said belt strap whereby the effective length ofsaid belt strap may be adjusted; and (e) a means for closing saidclosable opening of said jacket section of said garment.
 4. The garmentas recited in claim 3 wherein said buckle has a first buckle connectionend configured to be releasably coupled to a second buckle connectionend, said first buckle connection end adjustably attached to said beltstrap whereby the length of said belt strap may be adjusted.
 5. Thegarment as recited in claim 4 wherein said interior of said coverall hasa plurality of belt loops.
 6. The garment as recited in claim 4 whereinsaid belt loop is a single inner garment tube.
 7. The garment as recitedin claim 5 wherein said belt strap is a flat webbed belt.
 8. The garmentas recited in claim 6 wherein said belt strap is a flat webbed belt. 9.The garment as recited in claim 4 wherein said means for closing saidclosable opening of said jacket section of said garment is a zipper. 10.The garment as recited in claim 5 wherein said means for closing saidclosable opening of said jacket section of said garment is selected fromthe group comprising zippers, buttons, ties, clasps, and buckles.
 11. Agarment comprising: (a) a unitary coverall having a waistband, a jacketsection and a trouser section, said jacket section having a closableopening; (b) at least one belt loop on the interior of said coverall atsaid waistband section; and (c) a separate adjustable belt strappositioned through said belt loop whereby the length of said belt strapmay be adjustably fitted around a user.
 12. The garment as recited inclaim 11 further comprising a means for closing said closable opening ofsaid jacket section of said garment.
 13. The garment as recited in claim12 further comprising a buckle attached to said belt strap wherein saidbuckle has a first buckle connection end configured to be releasablycoupled to a second buckle connection end, said first buckle connectionend adjustably attached to said belt strap.
 14. The garment as recitedin claim 13 wherein said means for closing said closable opening of saidjacket section of said garment is selected from the group comprisingzippers, buttons, ties, clasps, and buckles.
 15. The garment as recitedin claim 14 wherein said interior of said coverall has a plurality ofbelt loops.
 16. The garment as recited in claim 15 wherein said beltstrap is a flat webbed belt.
 17. The garment as recited in claim 12wherein said means for closing said closable opening of said jacketsection of said garment is a zipper.
 18. The garment as recited in claim17 wherein said interior of said coverall has a plurality of belt loops.